


Not Anne

by fangirl2013



Series: The White Queen Tumblr Prompts [4]
Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: After Bosworth field, F/M, Tumblr Prompt 4, missing Anne, remarry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-03
Updated: 2013-09-03
Packaged: 2017-12-25 11:09:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/952368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirl2013/pseuds/fangirl2013
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary -Prompt idea: Richard wins the battle of Bosworth and gets a new wife (not Elizabeth of York, I leave it to your imagination), but is still haunted by Anne's memory.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Anne

**Author's Note:**

> This is from a prompt idea I got from someone on Tumblr. Whilst I did want for him to be haunted by Anne, I also wanted it to be like that because he still loves her. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this!

From the moment I had won the Battle of Bosworth, I had known exactly what I needed to. Even though every part of me, especially, my heart seemed to be against the idea, I knew that I would need to marry in order to secure an heir. 

Whilst some of the people around me assumed I would marry Elizabeth, the idea had been abhorrent to me. How could I marry the woman who I had used to break my beloved wife’s heart? 

No, I couldn't have done that. It would have been like I was dancing on Anne’s grave and I had already done so much to the woman I had loved. I had been a fool to behave as I had but by marrying Elizabeth, it would have made everything a whole lot worse. 

Apart of me had wanted to die in the Battle. It would mean I would have been reunited with my Anne and Ned but I suppose I also wanted to make her proud of me and it had spurned me on to survive. 

I wanted to show her I could become the ruler I had set out to be. Before the boy’s had gone missing and before Tudor had started preparing to usurp me. 

Anne hadn’t just been my wife. No, she had been more than that. She had been everything in my life that was good. Being king had meant I had taken that for granted and as I had searched for a wife, I knew I wouldn't be able to replace her so I didn't even try. 

To me, Anne would always be my queen. Even though I knew I'd end up remarrying. 

I had, of course, about a year after the battle. It had felt as if I had been betraying Anne by getting re-married even if I knew it was my duty, too. 

Joanna of Portugal had been the most viable candidate and she had seemed a nice enough woman. I respected and liked her even, but there was one thing wrong with her. She wasn't Anne. 

Sometimes mostly when she’s sitting beside me, I’ll notice differences about her and my Anne. Whilst my Anne had been small, petite but beautiful, Joanne is not. She is tall and slender and whilst she has pleasing looks, I sometimes yearn to feel Anne in my arms once more. 

It’s not just her looks which are different, though. It’s everything. Even the sound of my name coming from her lips seems to make me yearn for Anne to be with me. 

“Richard.” She'd almost purr into my ears. 

How can my name sound so different from her lips? Apart of me wanted to think it was simply down to her thick accent but I know it’s simply because it’s not Anne saying it.

Every time Anne had called my name both in the past and once we had been married, it had felt right. I had enjoyed hearing her name coming from her lips and I suppose I miss hearing her say it. 

It's an unusual feeling. At times, I'm aware that Anne's never far away from my thoughts and at times, I can feel as if I'm being reminded of all of things I did to her, but I don't know if I want that to stop. The alternative of never being reminded of her or thinking about her seems a horrible alternative. 

At times, I often feel as if I'm being haunted by her memory since I can't seem to escape it. Even if I try to, I will inevitably be drawn back to thinking about her. 

“Your grace?” 

Those two words seemed to snap me from my musing and a part of me was glad for it. For once, I don't want to dwell on everything that has happened. 

I quickly looked to see who had spoken and standing in front of me was Sir Robert Brackenbury. I should have guessed, really, but as Sir Robert bowed to me, I knew there must be a reason as to why he had broken into my thoughts. 

“Sir Robert.” I murmured as he stood up straight. 

Although, Brackenbury seemed to sense that I still had my mind on something else (which I did), he seemed to be understanding. That’s the thing about Brackenbury. Apart from the odd look of displeasure or disproval he'd shot my way, he'd always stay loyal. 

As he started to tell me about something, I felt my attention go back to Anne. Something it normally does most of the time. I'd end up thinking about everything and anything. Most of the time I would imagine Ned as well, looking healthy and happy. 

My thoughts would always leave my heart aching but I also didn't want to stop thinking about them. 

Brackenbury seemed to notice that I hadn’t been saying anything to him apart from the odd nod and I think he wanted to see if I was alright. 

“Your grace, you seem rather distracted. Are you alright?” Brackenbury’s voice was a little hesitant as he spoke as if he believes it’s not his place to ask. 

Apart of me wants to agree with him as I am, after all, his king but another part doesn’t. I've known him too long to try and keep the façade up any longer. 

“Nothing is the matter, Sir Robert. I am simply thinking.” I told him, a moment or two later. 

Sir Robert looked a little more closely at me, at my words, and as I saw him with a faraway expression on his face, I knew he was thinking about something. 

I suppose I hadn’t thought of how my remarriage had affected him or even the people around me. My Lady Mother had certainly been affected by my marriage. She seemed to dislike Joanna almost as much as had with Elizabeth Woodville. 

For a while, Sir Robert and I were both absorbed with our thoughts but slowly we both seemed to come back to the present. 

“About Lady Anne, your grace?” 

The sadness in his voice made me start. I shouldn't have been surprised by it but it was an instinctive reaction. 

Despite my shock, I found myself nodding to Brackenbury. It was a relief just to admit that I think about her. Lady Joanna seems to think I’ve totally forgotten about Anne but I don't think I ever can. 

“Yes.” It was a simple admission but one I knew I needed to say. 

I half expected Sir Robert to look at me in shock but he didn’t. Surely, he had believed like the rest of the court that I had been willing to replace Anne with my niece? By the look on his face, it seemed he hadn’t. 

I had been so obsessed with winning that I hadn’t cared who got hurt in the process. I had been too late to do anything about what I had done since the only person I had truly cared about was no longer here for me to apologise to. 

It’s probably the reason why I’m glad Sir Robert didn’t believe my act.


End file.
